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mSK  LIB. 

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FIRST  LE^ SON nN  EMMFO^IZIN^ 
ONTHtOr,AN 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


MUSfC 

ubrmw 


IRST  LESSONS 
in  EXTEMPORIZING 

on  the  Qrgan    »»>.♦♦ 
by  H.  C.  MACDOUGALL 


Copyright,  1922,  by  G.  Schirmer,  Inc. 

30612 


iPfintttl'  ht  the  U;  S'.'A.' 


Music 
Library. 

MT 


in 


'^  To  MISS  ROSE  PHELPS 


en 


V 


2'7a(>49 


PREFACE 

Experience  teaches  every  church  organist  that  the  ability  to  extemporize  even 
in  modest  fashion  is  not  only  a  very  convenient  thing,  but  also",  very  often  indeed,  a 
positive  necessit}'. 

Natural  aptitude  and  intelligent  practice  are  the  foundations  of  good  ex- 
temporizing, as  indeed  they  are  of  good  organ  playing.  Natural  aptitude  alone  will 
not  enable  one  either  to  play  the  organ  well  or  to  extemporize  on  it  acceptably; 
one  must  practice  extemporizing  regularly,  day  by  day,  over  and  over  again,  just  as 
one  practices  the  pieces  in  one's  organ  repertoire.  A  seventeenth-century  writer 
(Francis  Quarles)  puts  it  somewhat  inelegantly,  but  squarely,  when  he  writes:  "I 
see  no  virtues  where  I  smell  no  sweat."  To  invent  and  play,  on  the  spur  of  the 
moment  and  without  specific  preparation,  an  unwritten  piece  of  music,  long  or  short 
as  the  case  may  demand,  conforming  reasonably  to  the  principles  of  musical  com- 
position, is  to  extemporize. 

Since  improvisation  is  something  that  forms  a  part  of  the  business  of  every 
organist,  the  present  little  book  is  extended  as  a  helping  hand.  No  attempt  is  made  to 
teach  more  than  can  be  taught,  to  do  more  than  give  the  player  a  fair  start,  nor  to 
induct  him  into  the  mysteries  of  the  whole-tone  scale,  the  Wagnerian  endless  melody, 
or  the  modern  dissonant  style.  The  musical  illustrations  have  been  written  to  give 
the  average  organist  with  a  fair  amount  of  harmonic  knowledge  and  rather  more 
than  a  fair  amount  of  musical  intelligence,  an  idea  of  what  is  expected  of  him.  These 
are  "first  lessons." 


CONTENTS 

Page 

Preface  v 

Section  I:    Fundamental  Principles  1 

Tests  as  to  Natural  Aptitude  1 

Section  II:    Harmony  and  Musical  Form  2 

Four-measure  Form  2 

Change-Endings — Getting  Away  from  the  Theme  3 
Two-Measure  and  Eight-measure  Phrases                                                           .     4 

Suggestions  as  to  Practice  5 

The  Eight-measure  Phrase  (Four  phis  Four)  5 

Taking  Account  of  Stock  6 

The  Six-Four  Chord,  Second  Inversion  6 

Contrary  Motion  between  Highest  and  Lowest  Parts  7 

A  Twenty-eight  Measure  Piece  (Song-Form)  7 

Recapitulation  1 1 

Section  III:    Choosing  the  Theme — Extending  the  Form  1 1 

Themes  from  Hymn-Tunes  1 1 

Suggestions  for  Practice  Iv^ 

Harmonic  Technique  14 

Section  IV:    Other  Forms  14 

Sixteen-measure  Phrases  16 

Extemporizing  in  Four  Parts  16 

Section  V:     Inversion  of  the  Theme  16 

Melody  in  the  Bass  16 

Melody  in  the  Tenor  17 

Section  YI  :    Varying  the  Harmony — Registration  18 

Consistency  in  Accompanimental  Figures  18 

The  Developmental  (Continuous)  Style  18 

Importance  of  Attractive  Registration  19 

General  Schemes  19 

Section  \'I1:    The  Chorale  Prelude  19 

Section  \III:    The  Fugato  and  Other  Forms  22 

Technique  through  Writing  22 

Other  Forms  22 

Bibliography  '2-i 

I  vii  1 


FIRST  LESSONS  IN  EXTEMPORIZING 


SECTION  I 

Fundamental  Principlks 

1.  Do  not  stop  the  flow  of  the  music  for  reflection;  one  must  keep  going. 

2.  Keep  to  the  meter  with  which  the  start  is  made;  do  not,  for  example,  inter- 
polate a  measure  of  4/4  into  a  3/4  movement,  or  a  3/4  into  a  4/4  movement. 

3.  Nothing  is  to  be  written,  save  possibly  one's  theme,  and  it  is  much  better 
to  accustom  one's  self  to  memorising  the  theme. 

Note.  Further  on  ;i  methoci  of  practicing  certain  particular  points  in  improvising  through 
writing  will  be  suggested;  but  these  methods  must  not  be  confused  with  extemporizing  itself. 

Tests  as  to  Natural  Aptitude 

4.  (a)  Observing  pars.  1  and  2,  play  any  well-known  melody  (Robin  Adair, 
Old  Folks  at  Home,  The  Long,  Long  Trail,  etc.)  in  several  keys.  Do  this  with 
variety  in  the  figuration  of  the  accompaniment.     For  example: 

^  or 


£S 


^ 


M 


^^ 


m 


or 


m 


^^ 


fs 


pf 


r 


r 


♦V 


n  y\H 


m 


m 


rf 


^ 


^ 


r 


(b)  Do  this  with  a  listener  or  listeners,  and  note  whether  the  extemporizing 
is  done  as  easily  as  if  alone. 

Note.  The  result  of  trying  the  tests  suggested  in  par.  4  may  be  discouraging,  but  the  con- 
clusion that  natural  aptitude  is  entirely  lacking  ought  not  to  be  drawn  unless  the  melodies  cannot 
be  remembered ;  or,  if  rememliered,  cannot  be  played  "by  ear" ;  or,  if  remembered  and  played  by  ear, 
can  be  played  in  one  key  only.  The  particular  melodies  named  in  par.  4  may  not  happen  to  be 
known  to  the  player,  but  the  test  is  valid  for  any  melody  that  is  familiar  to  him. 

(c)  This  test  ought  to  extend  over  a  considerable  period  of  time,  for  a  week 
or  two,  with  daily  experiments,  and  may  well  employ  anything  known  to  the  player — 
national  airs,  folk-tunes,  vaudeville  tunes — in  short,  anything  good,  bad  or  indififerent. 

5.  In  all  practice  have  at  the  keyboard  a  list  of  the  major  and  minor  keys, 
also  a  table  of  the  more  common  time-  (or  meter-)  signatures.  For  example:  C  major; 
C  minor;  C  sharp  minor;  D  flat  major;  D  major;  D  minor;  D  sharp  minor;  E  flat 
major;  E  flat  minor;  K  major;  K  minor;  F  major;  F  minor;  F  sharp  major;  F 
sharp  minor;  G  major;  G  minor;  G  sharp  minor;  A  flat  major;  A  major;  A  minor; 
B  flat  major;  B  flat  minor;  B  major;  B  minor.  Time-signatures:  2/2,2/4,3/4,4/4, 
6/8. 

Make  this  in  convenient  form  (columns),  and  check  off  each  key  and  time- 
signature  as  3-ou  use  it,  taking  the  whole  list,  not  necessarily  in  the  order  given,  as 
time  goes  on.     The  extemporizer  must  be  at  home  in  all  the  principal  keys,  at  least. 

[1] 


First  Lessons  in  Extemporizing 


SECTION  II 
Harmony  and  Musical  Form 

6.  The  definition  of  extemporizing  given  in  the  preface  speaks  of  a  "reasonable 
conformation  to  the  principles  of  musical  composition."  Since  improvisation  is  often, 
in  the  organist's  case,  a  necessity,  it  is  obviously  unfair  to  subject  his  extemporizing  to 
the  same  tests  that  are  applied  to  written  work.  On  the  other  hand,  he  cannot 
claim  total  exemption  from  these  tests.  Granting  equal  spontaneity  and  beauty 
of  invention  in  two  improvisations,  the  one  which  is  most  correct  according  to  the 
principles  of  musical  composition  must  be  adjudged  the  better.  So  the  player  should 
continually  strive  for  harmonic  and  formal  accuracy.  It  is  not  rare  to  find  organists 
who  have  a  natural  harmonic  sense,  and  these  players  will  improvise,  so  far  as  regards 
the  harmony,  with  few  solecisms;  but,  generally  speaking,  very  little  beyond  the 
merest  beginnings  of  extemporizing  is  possible  for  one  who  is  ignorant  of  harmony, 
counterpoint  and  musical  form. 

Four-measure  Form 

7.  All  improvisations  are  or  ought  to  be  based  on  some  plan  or  "form."  The 
first  of  these  to  be  taken  up  is  the  four-measure  form. 

This  form  usually  begins  with  the  tonic  chord  and  ends  with  the  tonic  chord 
in  the  last  measure  accented,  preceded  by  the  dominant  or  subdoniinant  chord  un- 
accented. 

Allegro 


i 


Wa 


,/• 


^s 


W 


mm 


I 


J* 


T 


r 


Andante 


m 


r 

p 


n 


j=j=j= 


^ 


^ 


r  r  r  T     ft 


s 


r 


Illustrations  2  and  3  are  ordinary  four-measurt'  jjhrasis,  but  in  (liflVreiit  styles 
and  i(iii|)i. 

Moderate 


'hH  J  F  J 


^ 


^ 


^ 


P 


* 


Hiinnony  and  Musical  Form 


Allegro 


■hiif^r^irlfiirj^ 


w 


Illustrations  4  and  5  employ  the  plagal  cadence  (tonic  chord  preceded  by  sub- 
dominant  for  the  last  two  chords),  while  Nos.  2  and  3  use  the  authentic  cadence  (domi- 
nant chord  followed  by  tonic  chord). 

Change-Endings — Getting  Away  from  the  Theme 

8.  Just  as  in  writing  English  a  word  or  thought  leads  naturally  to  another 
word  or  supplementary  thought  until  a  paragraph  is  written,  so  in  music  the  theme 
is  merely  a  point  of  departure,  suggesting  other  terminations  or  endings;  these  in 
their  turn  leading  to  other  bits  of  music,  and  so  on.  But  in  his  early  practice  in 
extemporizing  the  player  finds  it  difficult  to  leave  the  subject,  especially  if  it  be  a  well- 
known  theme.  To  overcome  this  difficulty,  as  well  as  to  stimulate  invention,  take 
familiar  hymn-tunes  and  give  each  phrase  an  ending  different  from  the  printed  one.* 
For  example: 

Eventide  W  H.  Monk 


± 


«       ri 


/J      o 


m- 


frrr 

o  J   -^ 


6 


^ 


1 


o 


J=A 


^^ 


SJZ 


r  r  r  r 


i 


m 


zxn 


rTTT 


^ 


n^ 


-oo o- 


*It  surely  is  hartily  necessary  to  say  that  when  suggestions  as  to  alterations  In  well-knowri  hymn-tunes  are 
made  here  or  elsewhere  they  are  made  for  instructive  purposes  only,  and  not  with  the  thou^lu  of  improvini,'  on  the 
original  tune. 


First  Lessons  in   Extemporizing 


9.  After  assiduous  practice  in  the  manner  of  No.  6,  make  a  change-ending  for 
the  first  phrase  of  many  hymn-tunes,  taking  the  new  ending  as  a  point  of  wide  de- 
parture. 

Petra  R.  Redhead 


s 


r 


r 


i 


r=»=f 


J. 


J. 


te 


-o- 


e^c. 


^ 


P^ 


f 


f^ 


^ 


Note.  A  good  hvmnal  ought  to  be  at  hand  for  practice-material.  The  newer  American 
h>mnals,  the  Oxford  Hymnal,  Hymns  Ancient  and  Modem,  or  the  English  Hymnal,  will  be  found 
useful. 

10.  The  four-measure  form  is  so  natural  to  all  musicians,  and  so  imbedded  in 
our  musical  consciousness,  that  the  player  will  have  little  difficulty  in  "feeling"  it, 
that  is,  in  knowing  exactly  when  it  is  time  for  the  cadence.  In  case  this  is  not  the 
experience  of  the  player,  he  should  count  aloud  as  he  plays;  suppose  the  meter  is 
3/4,  count  thus:  1  two  three,  2  two  three,  3  two  three,  4  two  three.  The  Arabic 
numerals  mark  the  number  of  thc>  measure  and  the  first  beat,  while  the  "two  three" 
stand  for  the  2d  and  3d  beats.  This  counting  aloud  may  well  be  kvytX  up  until  the 
four  measures  are  "felt"  without  the  counting.  The  player  will  note  that  as  he  says 
"4"  he  must  be  playing  the  tonic  chord.  If  his  i)hrase  had  begun  on  the  third  beat 
the  counting  would  go  "three,  1  two  three,  2  two  three,  3  two  three,  4  two." 

Two-measure  and  Eij^ht-measure  Phrases 

11.  Many  of  the  old  syllabic  tunes,  with  four  beats  in  a  nu-asure,  ha\-e  phrases 
two  measures  long;  but  if  the  rhythm  is  considered  to  be  duple — which  is  usually 
the  case — the  meter-signature  becomes  2/4  or  2/2  and  llic  i)hrases  are  four  measures 

long. 

Flight  measures  is  a  long  distance  for  (he  mind   (o  carry  oxer  the  musical 

thought,  but  eight-measure  phrases  are  by  no  niciiis  rare. 


St  Chrysostom 


J.  Barnby 


8 


Harmony  and  Musical  Form 


The  longer  phrase  is  made  out  of  the  shorter  one  by  "side-stepping"  the 
cadence,  delaying  it  until  the  7th-Sth  measures. 

Suggestions  as  to  Practice 

12.  The  work  up  to  this  point  has  been  fundamental,  and  therefore  of  the 
greatest  importance.  Hard,  steady  practice  is  absolutely  necessary  to  get  results. 
A  comparatively  small  degree  of  natural  aptitude  for  improvising,  and  much  hard 
practice,  will  take  one  farther  than  a  greater  degree  of  natural  aptitude  and  little 
practice.     Beai*  in  mind  especially  pars.  1  and  2. 

Discouragement  arising  from  poor  harmony,  and  inability  to  get  away  from 
certain  stereotyped  melodic  or  harmonic  sequences — these  are  inevitable  parts  of  the 
"game,"  and  must  not  be  allowed  to  lower  the  player's  morale. 

The  Eight-measure  Phrase  (Four  plus  Four) 

13.  After  the  four-measure  phrase  with  the  complete  stop  (authentic  or  plagal 
cadence)  at  the  end  is  extemporized  with  some  readiness,  the  extension  of  the  four 
measures  to  eight  may  be  attempted.  There  are  at  least  two  w^ays  of  doing  this;  (1) 
to  end  the  first  four  measures  with  a  half-cadence,  or  (2)  by  a  modulation  to  a  re- 
lated key,  in  each  case  repeating  the  original  four  measures,  bringing  them  to  a 
complete  stop.     It  is  also  effective  to  make  the  eight  measures  different  throughout. 

[,»  JJJ  iJ  I,  I  I  I  I   \,  >^i  rn  ,  I — ^ 


Illustration  9  shows  a  half-cadence  in  measure  4. 

ri 


Risoluto 


10 


-^'tififilFitri 


tt^ 


m^ 


J: 


* 


m 


rrf. 


W 


Nj    I    lp'%:||f= 


^ 


f 


r 

J5U 


P 


^ 


r 


^ 


f 


r 


Illustration  10  shows  a  half-cadence  at  measure  4. 
Cantabile 


11 


m 


nr^ 


J    J    J_ 


r 


i 

f 


First  Lessons  in  Extemporizing 


Illustration  11  shows  a  modulation  to  the  key  of  the  dominant  in  the  third 
measure. 


12 


^ 


Allegro 


^ 


i. 


jrr 


f 


^ 


^ 


^ 


i^ 


r 


TT 


^ 


i 


Tfr 


% 


EE 


TTf 


^ 


i=i 


m 


^ 


^ 


rT 


^ 


% 


^ 


rr 


M 


i 


r 


Illustration  12  has  the  half-cadence,  but  measures  5  to  8  are  not  repeated  from 
measures  1  to  4. 

In  working  out  these  various  plans,  think  out  carefully  what  is  to  be  attempted, 
mentally  rehearsing  the  melody  and  harmony  before  beginning.  The  player  must 
make  up  his  mind,  once  he  begins,  to  go  on  manfully  without  stopping  and  without 
losing  the  rhythm.     His  slogan  must  be,  KEEP  MOVING. 

Taking  Account  of  Stock 

14.  It  will  be  encouraging  at  this  point  to  see  what  one  can  do  in  stringing 
together  various  airs  playable  by  ear,  never  using  the  same  sequence  of  keys  more 
than  twice.     For  example: 

Introduction  in  4  measures,  ending  on  the  dominant  chord  of  F  major. 

"Bluebells  of  Scotland"  in  F. 
Modulate  to  d  minor,  ending  the  modulation  on  the  dominant  chord. 

"O,  Charlie  is  my  Darlin'  "  in  D  minor. 
Modulation  to  B  flat  major,  ending  the  modulation  on  the  dominant  chord 
of  B  flat  major. 

"Annie  Laurie"  in  B  flat  major. 
Brief  Coda  of  two  measures. 

Repeat  the  extemporization  in  this  order  and  with  these  key-changes: 
Introduction  in  B  flat  major. 

"Annie  Laurie,"  in  tliat  key. 
Modulation  to  G  minor. 

"O,  Charlie  is  my  Darlin'  "  in  G  minor. 
Modulation  to  E  flat  major. 

"Bluebells  of  Scotland"  in  \\  flat  major. 
Coda  of  two  measures  in  E  flat  major. 

By  this  lime  the  general  command  of  the  keyboard  (iiii;!!!  to  be  distinctly 
greater. 

The  Six-four  (.1iord,  Second  Inversion 

l.S.  If  (lie  player  has  the  iuiidil  of  professional  criticism  or  that  of  a  candid 
friend,  he  will  have  heard  a  good  deal  about  the  second  inversion  of  the  triad  and  its 
iniquitous  use  in  improvisations.  Tlic  <li(ird  with  its  lifth  in  llie  bass  (second  in- 
version) has  a  fatal  fascination  for  the  cxtcnipoi  i/.cr  and  is  usually  the  .second  chord 
he  plays;  in  fact,  it  seems  to  ihc  critical  liciicr  tii.it  that  particular  chord  is  the  only 


Harmony  and  Musical  Form 


one  ihc  unlortimate  iiiiproi^isaleur  has  in  liis  mind!  Let  him  avoid  it  in  improvisa- 
tion as  he  would  the  pestilence,  until  he  can  use  it  properly;  of  course,  it  is  legitimate 
when  it  is  the  tonic  six-four,  the  third  chord  from  the  end  of  a  phrase  and  accented. 
For  example: 


13 


^^-j- 


M 


P 


m 


^ 


^ 


M 


f 


w 


¥ 


± 


F 


Two  other  uses  of  the  second  inversion  of  chords  on  the  second,  fourth  and  first 
degrees  of  the  scale  are  safe;  (a)  when  the  six-four  is  followed  by  a  chord  on  the 
same  bass  note,  the  latter  being  the  root  of  a  chord,  and  (b)  the  six-four  whose  bass 
is  the  middle  of  three  bass  notes  moving  scale-wise.     For  example: 


,14^ 


^p 


^ 


^^ 


m 


r 


^==B 


1 


P 


^ 


te: 


14b 


^ 


Wit  * 


r 


J=^ 


i 


1 


r  r  r  'I- 


i5^ 


J  J  J 


^^^ 


^ 


j-4. 


Contrary  Motion  between  Highest  and  Lowest  Parts 

16.  In  the  excitement  of  "keeping  it  going"  the  extemporizer  will  fall  into 
many  errors — positive  and  bad  errors,  to  say  nothing  of  infelicities;  but  he  must 
remember  that  application  and  work  will  do  wonders.  A  simple  rule  will  help  to  avoid 
the  grosser  mistakes,  and  this  is.  Avoid  parallel  motion  between  the  highest  and  lowest 
parts.  Many  times,  of  course,  these  parts  may  progress  by  thirds  or  sixths  to  the 
advantage  of  the  music,  but  the  contrary  motion  suggested  will  take  care  of  consecu- 
tives  (parallel  fifths  and  octaves).  This  idea  of  contrary  motion  between  extreme 
parts  is  a  great  help,  too,  when  improvising  a  melodious  upper  part  to  accompany 
the  air  in  the  bass.     (See  par.  26.) 

A  Twenty-eight  Measure  Piece   (Song-Form) 

17.  By  this  time,  let  us  say  in  two  months  from  the  time  of  beginning  the 
study,  the  player  will  be  able  to  "feel"  his  eight-measure  phrase  (4  plus  4).     He  is 


8 


First  Lessons  in  Extemporizing 


then — provided  we  have  not  overestimated  his  progress — in  a  position  to  combine 
two  eight-measure  phrases  into  what  is  usually  called  the  Song-Form,  adding  four 
measures  to  mark  the  close  of  the  piece  (Coda).  The  28-measure  piece  has  this 
form:  8  measures  (4  plus  4),  plus  8  measures  (4  plus  4)  in  a  related  key,  the  first  8 
measures  da  capo,  and  4  measures  added  as  Coda.  The  whole  piece  may  be  made 
up  on  change-endings,  or  on  original  matter;  or  the  change-ending  style  and  original 
matter  may  be  alternated. 


15 


Andante 


fi,"^.  J    J    J 


^ 


P^^ 


mM 


p^ 


j=^ 


m^F 


wav 


k 


I 


s^ 


\z 


^ 


i 


^ 


^F^=^ 


^B4=t 


^ 


f 


^^ 


^isis^a 


? 


r' 


r — M — r 


r 


^ 


•'!f 


i 


1 


siiTin} 


T 


Coda 


^ 


^^£ 


rit. 


i 


^W 


atrerBJlm 


D.C.C071  repeti 
zione  epoial  Coda 


i 


^^ 


^^ 


f 


16 


Allegretto 


Harmon V  and  Musical  Form 


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No.  18  has  shorl  phrases  in  the  folk-song  fashion. 
See  also  Illustrations  19-21. 

Recapitulation 

18.  Practice  regularly.     Keep  going.     Do  not  lose  the  rhythm.     Plan  your 
improvisation. 


SECTION  III 

Choosing  the  Theme — Extending  the  Form 
Themes  from  Hymn- tunes 

19.  Since  the  hymn-tune  is  a  form  of  music  with  which  the  organist  has  much 
business,  and  since  it  is  something  with  which  his  audience  is  pretty  sure  to  be  familiar, 
well-known  hymn-tunes  furnish  excellent  material  for  improvisation.  One  essential 
of  an  effective  improvisation  is  that  the  theme  shall  be  familiar  to  the  audience. 
Having  heard  a  masterly  and  most  exciting  extemporization  from  Guilmant  on 
"Jerusalem  the  golden,"  the  writer  remembers  his  keen  disappointment  on  hearing 
him  extemporize  on  an  unfamiliar  plain-song  melody;  the  second  improvisation  was, 
no  doubt,  as  good  as  the  first,  but  it  was  not  enjoyed.  How  can  the  audience  enjoy 
the  extcmporizer's  art  if  it  does  not  recognize  his  theme? 

Hymn-tunes  dififer  much  in  their  value  for  the  purpose.  The  first  phrase  may 
be  used  to  advantage,  since  it  is  usually  quickly  recognized,  but  one  needs  more  than 
one  subject  to  work  with  if  one  is  to  go  on  for  more  than  a  few  measures.  In  the 
majority  of  hymn-tunes  the  phrases  following  the  first  phrase  are  very  much  like  it 
in  rh>thm,  and  it  is  to  differences  in  rhythm  more  than  to  differences  in  harmony  or 
in  melody  that  we  have  to  look  for  suggestions. 

Scan  the  tune,  however,  and  select  those  phra.ses  or  parts  of  phrases  that 
have  some  mark  of  distinction  about  them.  Play  over  50  tunes,  dissecting  them  for 
contrasted  phra.ses;  having  found  the  phrases,  make  little  pieces  of  28  measures. 
(See  par.  17.)  Use  the  first  selected  phrase  for  the  theme  of  section  one,  and  the 
second  selected  phrase  for  the  second  section;  or,  if  it  can't  be  made  to  go  that  way, 
take  a  phrase  from  another  tune,  or  take  an  entirely  original  phrase. 

The  following  illustration  is  derived  from  the  hymn-tunes  St.  Gertrude  and 
Ellers. 


12 


First  Lessons  in   Extemporizing 


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13 


In  No.  21  the  first  section  is  from  Neander  (J.  Neander),  the  second  from  57. 
Athanasius  (Hopkins). 

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20.  The  centre  of  gravity  in  extemporization  nmst  be  melody  or  rhythm, 
rather  than  harmony.  Listen  to  an  organist  "showing  off"  a  stop.  Does  he  invent 
a  melody?  Nine  times  out  of  ten,  no;  he  simply  crawls  along  on  chords  without 
melody  or  rhythm.  The  effort  must  always  be  made  to  think  in  terms  of  rhythm  and 
melody.  Melody  precedes  in  the  thought,  harmony  follows.  Rhythm  brightens 
up  the  whole,  even  if  it  be  not  the  vitalizing  [jrinciple  of  the  whole. 

Suggestions  for  Practice 

21.  Select  a  regular  time  for  practice,  and  do  not  depend  on  "feeling  like  it" 
as  an  incentive.      It  is  true  that  one  is  more  disposed  towards  all  sorts  of  musical 


H  First  Lessons  in   Extemporizing 

Avork  at  one  time  than  at  some  possible  other  time,  but  it  is  fatal  to  progress  to  give 
in  to  those  feelings. 

After  fifty  tunes  have  been  examined,  divide  them  into  classes;  the  first  class 
including  those  tunes  that  have  two  excellent  themes,  the  second  class  those  that 
have  only  one  theme,  and  the  third  class  those  tunes,  grouped  by  twos,  that  may  be 
used  as  first  and  second  themes. 

Play  the  improvisation  on  the  tunes  selected  at  least  three  times;  after  three 
times  the  mind  works  about  as  it  did  before  and  the  piece  becomes  stereotyped.  Do 
as  many  twenty -eight  measure  pieces  as  can  be  done  in  the  time  set  apart.  On  the 
next  day  review  the  more  promising  of  these,  taking  as  many  new  ones  as  time 
will  allow.  As  study  proceeds  it  will  be  more  readily  ascertained  what  subjects 
promise  well,  and  it  will  be  possible  to  throw  out  those  that  are  seen  to  be  com- 
paratively worthless. 

The  twenty-eight  measure  pieces  do  not  amount  to  very  much  as  music,  al- 
though they  are  by  no  means  to  be  despised.  Their  form  is  one  of  the  standard 
forms,  and  it  is  only  on  account  of  their  narrow  range  that  we  are  inclined  to  look 
down  upon  them.  How  can  one  do  well  in  the  larger  forms  if  one  cannot  master  the 
small  ones? 

Harmonic  Technique 

22.  Before  this  time,  even,  the  player  will  have  discovered  how  far  his  knowl- 
edge of  harmony  is  a  help  to  him  in  his  improvisations.  If  he  find  that  he  is  deficient 
in  harmony,  then  let  him  review  his  harmony  and  advance  in  it,  too.  If  he  can  go  on 
with  Counterpoint,  so  much  the  better.  Harmonizing  melodies,  and  putting  the 
melodies  into  tenor  and  into  bass  as  well — these  are  the  ways  to  make  the  study  of 
harmony  practical.  Counterpoint  is  essential  if,  later,  the  player  wishes  to  make 
fugatos  on  hymn-tune  subjects.      (See  Section  VIII.) 

If  the  pla>er  wishes  to  study  his  harmony  in  such  a  way  as  to  advance  his 
extemporization  work  directly,  he  may  do  his  writing  under  (as  nearly  as  possible) 
the  extemporizing  conditions;  that  is  (1)  he  must  make  no  erasures;  (2)  he  must  not 
tr>  the  work  over  on  the  organ  before  it  is  completed;  (3)  the  writing  must  be  steady- 
in  point  of  progress,  that  is,  not  done  by  fits  and  starts.  Of  course,  it  is  absurd  to 
think  of  writing  as  done  in  tempo,  but  it  can  be  done  with  some  steadiness.  After 
finishing  the  writing  it  must  be  played,  the  criticism  written,  and  the  time  taken  in 
writing  set  down.  It  is  thus  possible  to  combine  a  certain  disciphne  in  writing  with 
practice  on  tlic  keyboard  in  extemporization.     (See  ])ar.  3,  Note,  and  Section  VIII,  1.) 

SKCriON    IV 

Otiii<:r  Forms 

23.  After  one  has  mastered  the  siMi])lc  twenty-eight  measure  form,  one  has 
the  key  to  a  gfjod  many  other  forms,  such  as  {\\v  March,  Waltz,  and  many  jjicces  of 
the  type.  The  proljicm  is  sinipb'  one  of  making  up  one's  mind  just  what  combinations 
of  eight-measure  phrases  will  |)riili,iM\  siiii  llif  llunic  one  has  taken,  or  that  has 
been  given,  and  linn  iiKnccd  to  work  il  oiil. 

For  example,  a  March.  SiilH\an's  I u lie. S7.C/VT/r//f/r  suggests  a  March.  I'"()llf)w- 
ing  the  ordinary  custom,  a  Iruniix't  fanfare  of  four  measures  will  serve  as  introduclion  ; 


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this  may  be  followed  by  an  eight-measure  phrase  to  serve  as  A;  next,  another  eight- 
measure  jihrase  to  serve  as  B ;  then  the  da  capo  of  A.  Now  will  come  a  second  section 
constructed  precisely  like  the  hrst  but,  on  the  whole,  in  a  related  key;  the  trumpet 
fanfare  and  the  twenty-four  measures  following  the  fanfare  will  be  repeated,  and  with 
a  Coda  of  perhaps  four  measures  the  piece  will  end.  A  sample  "scenario"  of  the 
March  might  he  written  thus: 

Fanfare  in  G  major,  ending  on  donu'nant  of  G 

(A)  8  meas.  in  G  major 

(B)  8  meas.  in  D  major  (related  key) 
(A)  8  meas.  like  first  (A),  or  somewhat  varied 

TRIO: 

(C)  8  meas.  in  I)  major  (related  to  G  major) 

(D)  8  meas.  in  B  minor  (related  to  D  major) 
(C)  8  meas.  as  before,  or  somewhat  varied 
Fanfare 

(A),  (B),  (A)  as  before,  so  far  as  can  be  recalled 
Coda  4  meas.  on  tonic  pedal 

Total:  84  measures 
Another  "scenario"  for  the  same  improvisation  might  be  this: 
Fanfare,  4  meas.  in  G,  ending  on  dominant  of  key 

(A)  8  meas.  in  G  major 

(B)  8  meas.  in  E  minor  (related  key) 
(A)  8  meas.  as  before 

TRIO: 

(C)  8  meas.  in  D  major  (related  to  G  major) 

(D)  8  meas.  in  A  major  (related  to  D  major) 
(C)  8  meas.  as  before 
Fanfare  and  (A),  (B),  (A)  repeated 
Coda  4  meas. 

Total:  84  measures 

As  one  goes  on  in  the  practice  of  this  short  and  simple  March-form  one  will 
naturally  learn  to  distinguish  the  different  sections  (A),  (B),  (C)  and  (D)  rhythmically; 
since  the  March  is  essentially  a  rhythmic  form,  the  rhythmic  figures  become  of  im- 
portance. It  is  easy  to  fall  into  a  rut  in  this  respect.  After  one  has  accumulated 
four  or  five  dilTerent  and  effective  figures,  it  is  the  proper  thing  to  store  them  in  one's 
memory  for  the  future.  A  good  improvisateur  has  all  his  plans,  his  rhythmic  figures 
for  different  meters,  his  little  technical  "dodges,"  always  ready  for  instant  use.  Be- 
low are  some  suggestions  for  different  rhythmic  figures  to  be  empKned  in  the  March. 


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16 


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Sixteen-measure  Phrases 

24.  As  one  practices  the  short  IMarch-form  worked  out  in  par.  23,  a  feeling 
that  the  various  sections  are  too  short  for  an  eflfective  and  "grown-up"  extemporization 
will  naturally  manifest  itself.     \Vc  ma}'  well  enquire  how  to  improve  the  form. 

A  study  of  forms  of  this  nature,  that  is,  forms  made  up  of  definite  bits  of 
music  sharply  set  ofif  from  each  other  by  cadences  marking  their  limits,  shows  that 
sixteen-measure  phrases  give  just  the  sense  of  extension  that  satisfies.  The  sixteen- 
measure  phrase  is  manifestly  an  8  plus  8;  or  a  4  plus  4  plus  8;  or  an  8  plus  4  plus  4; 
or  a  4  plus  4  plus  4  plus  4.  Taking  the  last  distribution  of  cadences  we  find  that  it  is 
often  managed  as  follows:  4  measures  in  tonic  kej'  (half-cadence  on  dominant);  4 
meas.  modulating  to  key  of  dominant;  4  meas.  on  a  dominant  pedal,  which  pulls 
the  tonic  key  back;  and  the  last  4  a  repetition  of  the  first  4,  with  full  cadence  in  the 
tonic  key.  The  player  ought  to  practice  this  sixteen-measure  scheme  until  he  can 
work  it  instanter  with  any  hj-mn-tune  phrase  suggested.  Other  ways  of  working 
out  the  sixteen-measure  plan  will  be  noted  in  the  study  of  hymn-tunes,  although 
the  element  of  recurrence  to  the  first  phrase  is  too  often  missing  in  hymn-tunes. 
Of  course,  it  Avill  not  do  for  the  cxtemporizer  to  use  the  same  formula  for  all  the  sec- 
tions of  his  March;  he  must  ha\e  at  least  two  formuhe  at  command. 

Extemporizing  in  Four  Parts 

25.  Although  the  illustrations  presented  in  "First  Lessons"  have  been  written 
usualh'  for  four  ])arts,  it  is  by  no  means  suggested  to  the  student  of  extemporization 
as  one  of  the  necessary  things  to  work  for;  such  an  ambition  would  handica])  him 
so  that  he  would  be  unable  to  do  anything  at  all.  On  the  other  hand,  entireh-  to 
neglect  all  the  principles  of  part-writing  would  be  fatal  to  true  progress.  The  first 
steps  the  writer  himscll  took  in  im|)r()\-isation  were  wholly  nullified  1)\'  his  being 
obliged  to  work  with  three  parts  only,  a  task  far  too  difficult  for  him.  .\  "reasonable 
conformation  to  the  i)rinciples  of  nuisical  composition"  is  all  that  ma\-  be  demanded 
of  the  student. 

SECTION  V 

Invkrsion  of  the  Theme 

Melody  in  the  Bass 

26.  Nf)  inipro\isation  can  be  carried  along  vi'r\-  far  without  some  appcvarances 
of  the  melody  or  of  the  theme  in  the  lowest  i)art  (ba.ss),  or  in  the  middle  part  (tenor). 
It  is  much  more  difficult  to  adapt  one's  self  .ind  one's  ideas  to  I  lie  melody  in  the  lowest 
part  for  this  reason  :  It  is  ol  ici  im  possible  1o  use  the  s;inic  li.n  inonics  lor  I  lie  melody 
in  the  lowest  part  as  were  used  loi-  ili;ii  s.inie  nielod>-  when  it  ai)i)t'ars  in  llie  highest 
or  a  nn'ddlc  i)nrt.      The  first   four  ni<  asiires  of    Xirca,  for  exaniple,  use  llie  Ionic  anrl 


Inversion  of  the    Theme 


17 


subdominant  harmonics  onl}-;  Imt  if  oiu-  puts  the  air  into  the  bass  the  fifth  melody- 
tone  cannot,  without  using  a  most  distressing  6/4,  be  harmonised  by  the  tonic  chord, 
but  must  be  a  part  of  the  dominant  chord.  This  change  of  harmony  is  momentarily 
as  disturbing  to  the  neophyte  as  a  slight  inequality  in  the  road  is  to  a  trotting  horse: 
the  horse  will  very  likely  change  his  gait  at  the  inequality.  So  soon  as  one  change 
in  the  harmony  is  made,  other  changes  will  be  involved.  The  point  of  these  remarks 
will  appear  after  inspection  of  Nos.  23  and  24  below.  Note  the  changes  of  harmony 
here  and  there  made  necessary  by  the  avoidance  of  the  6/4  referred  to,  and  note  how 
much  superior  No.  24  is  to  No.  23,  in  that  24  carries  out  the  rhythmic  motion  suggested 
in  the  iirst  measure  of  the  theme  (air). 


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Melody  in  the  Tenor 

27.  When  the  mclodj-  is  in  the  tenor  (a  middle  part),  there  will  be  none  of  the 
difficulty  connected  with  the  harmony  suggested  in  par.  25.  Every  improvisation 
may  be  considerably  freshened  up  by  the  transference  of  the  theme  at  times  to  the 
violoncello  range.  If  the  player  makes  any  attempt  to  add  a  counter-theme  in  the 
highest  part  it  is  well  to  stick  to  contrary  motion  between  this  part  and  the  melody. 
(See  par.  16.)  Only  a  practiced  improvisafeur  will  be  able  to  add  with  any  musical 
success  a  counter-theme  to  the  principal  melody. 


18 


First  Lessons  in   Rxtemporizin^ 


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SECTION  VI 
Varying  the  Harmony — Registration 

28.  In  warning  the  would-be  extemporizer  (in  par.  20)  against  a  mere  string- 
ing together  of  chords  without  melody  or  rhythm,  it  was  not  intended  for  one  moment 
to  suggest  that  it  is  not  an  excellent  plan,  as  an  extemporization  develops,  to  vary 
the  harmony  which  clothes  the  theme.  In  fact,  this  is  one  of  the  easiest  and  most 
fruitful  of  all  the  devices  for  creating  color  and  interest;  it  may  easily  be  overdone, 
of  course.  There  is  nothing  less  difficult  than  to  overload  a  melody  with  chromatic, 
complicated  and  bizarre  harmonies  destroying  the  very  object  for  which  they  were 
introduced. 

Consistency  in  Accompaniniental  Figures 

29.  By  "figure"  is  meant  the  arrangement  of  the  chord-material  for  the  pur- 
poses of  accompaniment,  especially  with  regard  to  the  rhythm. 

The  principle  to  be  observed  is:  Stick  to  the  rhythmic  pattern  and  general 
arrangement  with  which  the  start  is  made.  In  No.  25,  for  example,  the  accompani- 
niental figure  was  a  quarter-rest  and  three  quarter-note  chords;  any  figure  must  be 
adhered  to  rigidly  for  at  least  one  section,  or  until  it  is  evaluated,  when  the  figure 
may  be  changed.  The  arrangement  of  the  chord-material  irrespective  of  the  rhythm 
is  also  to  be  noted;  a  chord  on  the  second  beat  in  the  measure  is  followed  by  the  same 
chord  on  the  third  beat,  but  in  the  next  higher  position;  this  is  kept  up  consistently 
until  worked  out. 

The  Developmental  (Continuous)  Style 

30.  So  far  in  "l-irst  Les.sons"  the  suggestions  as  lo  extem])orization  have  all 
been  directed  to  making  music  with  the  four-,  eight-,  or  sixteen-mcasure  unit.  This 
results  in  defmite  blocks  of  music,  each  block  .set  off  against  its  neighbor-blocks  in 
perfectly  definite  .sections.  In  .some  respects  this  is  the  most  difiicult  form  that 
improxisation  can  lake,  for  an>-  defects  in  the  form  are  immediately  apparent  to  the 
niiisi(  ai  listener.  ( )ii  I  1h'  nihcr  li;ind,  lorn  is  made  !)>  com  billing  in  \arious  ways  the 
loiii -measure  units  are  very  easy  to  understand. 

But  if  one  examines  a  composition  like  Mendelssohn's  Ilioiliiiii  •'^'"/.?.  or  a 
movement  from  one  of  the  earlier  .sonatas  of  Beethoven,  one  notes  that,  while  the 
four-measure  phrase  is  by  no  means  absent,  there  is  a  continuity  in  the  music  that 
is  opposed  to  the  square-(nl,  well-balanced  structmc  of  the  Chopin  Nocturne  in  IC 
flat,  for  exami)lc.  It  is  no  |)art  of  "First  Lessons"  to  go  into  a  subject  .so  difiicult  to 
reduce  to  a  pr.i(ti(;il  leaching  basis;  a  player  who  has  mastered  the  lessons  so  far 


The  Chorale  Prelude  19 


given  and  who  has  heard  a  good  deal  ot  good  music  will  quite  naturally  find  his  way 
into  the  new  paths,  combining  with  the  continuous  enough  of  the  square-cut  and 
formal  to  keep  the  improvisation  somewhere  near  the  ground.  The  lessons  following 
are  based  on  the  assumption  that  the  player  has  absorbed  a  good  deal  of  the  con- 
tinuous or  developmental  style,  and  is  able  to  "keep  going"  without  losing  his  rhythmic 
way,  yet  without  consciously  balancing  every  eight  measures  by  another  eight. 

Importance  of  Attractive  Registration 

If  the  player  will  make  the  experiment  of  repeating  an  organ  improvisation, 
so  far  as  memory  will  serve,  on  the  piano,  it  will  be  patent  even  to  his  ears  how  much 
more  attractive  the  former  extemporization  was.  Organists  will  probably  not  quarrel 
with  the  fate  that  has  made  it  possible  for  them — granted  a  rich-toned  organ,  with 
the  fascinating  modern  tone-colors — to  interest  a  congregation  in  something  that  is 
less  good  than  it  sounds!  The  improvisateur  ought  not  to  become  so  absorbed  in  the 
working-out  of  his  theme  that  he  forgets  to  clothe  it  richly  and  appropriately. 

Some  of  the  things  that  suggest  themselves  as  important  in  registration  are, 
(1)  to  see  that,  wherever  possible,  melody  and  accompaniment  are  contrasted  in  tone- 
color,  as  well  as  in  strength;  (2)  to  change,  when  one  does  change,  from  one  tone- 
color  to  another  contrasting  color;  (3)  to  avoid  restlessness,  changing  without  purpose; 
(4)  to  suit  the  combination  or  the  single  stop  to  the  sentiment  of  the  music;  do  not 
play  on  the  \'ox  Celestis  what  ought  to  have  the  Diapason  tone-color,  or  expect  a 
sensuous,  passionate  phrase  to  be  expressed  by  a  Melodia. 

General  Schemes 

The  best  general  scheme  for  all-round  use  is  that  of  the  Song-Form,  or  the 
Introduction,  A,  B,  A,  Coda.  This  is  capable  of  expansion  into  a  large  piece  of 
music,  or  it  may  extend  over  twenty-eight  measures  only.  (See  pars.  17,  19,  23.) 
A  lyric  melody  (Bluebells  of  Scotland,  Schubert's  Ave  Maria,  etc.)  is  possibly  best 
treated  in  this  form,  for  the  middle  section,  B,  seems  to  invite  contrast. 

SECTION  VII 

The  Chorale  Prelude 

If  the  student  will  get  down  his  volume  of  J.  S.  Bach's  Chorale  Preludes  for 
the  organ,  he  will  note  that  the  phrases  of  the  Chorale  are  separated  by  florid  or  more 
elaborate  passages  based  on  the  Chorale  phrase.  It  is  difficult  for  any  organist,  no 
matter  how  gifted,  to  imagine  himself  doing  the  same  sort  of  thing  with  any  approach 
to  the  work  of  Bach,  but  there  is  a  suggestion  in  the  Chorale  Prelude  of  the  Leipzig 
cantor  for  us  with  our  more  humble  powers.  Take  any  syllabic  tune  (St.  Ann,  St. 
Bride,  or  tunes  where  a  long  pause  at  the  end  of  each  phrase  is  effective),  and  inter- 
iect,  as  it  were,  florid  extemporizations  based  on  some  melodic  or  rhythmic  figure 
derived  from  the  phrase  just  played.  Play  the  hymn-tune  phrases  on  the  Gt.  Open 
Diapasons  with  pedal,  following  this  stuiuy  and  robust  registration  by  softer  and  more 
luscious  combinations  for  the  interjected,  ilorid  phrases.  These  interludes,  as  they 
may  be  called,  must  end  each  time  with  the  last  chord  in  the  phrase  on  which  they 
are  based,  and  hold  it;  the  player  is  thtn  ready  to  go  on  with  the  next  hj'mn-tune 
phrase.     The  chorale  prelude  is  more  difficult  than  would  seem  from  simply  reading 


20 


First  Lessons  in  Extemporizincr 


the  above,  for  if  one  uses  the  tunes  that  admit  of  a  pause  at  the  end  of  each  phrase, 
it  will  be  found  that  the  rhythmic  suggestions  from  them  are  few;  and  if  pauses  are 
not  possible  rhythmic  suggestions  are  more  numerous.  To  see  exactly  what  is 
meant,  try  York,  Xicea,  St.  Gertrude,  making  a  hold  {fermata)  at  the  end  of  each 
phrase,  noting  how  impossible  it  is  to  make  the  pause  after  some  phrases. 

No.  26  gives  the  melody  of  St.  Ann  (Croft),  and  the  first  few  notes  of  the 
interludes;  No.  27  will  expand  the  interludes  a  little  farther. 

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22  First  Lessons  in  Extemporizing 

SECTION  VIII 
The  Fugato  and  Other  Forms 

By  "fugato"  is  meant  free  fugal  imitations.  Any  one  who  has  heard  Guihnant, 
Lemare,  Alfred  HolHns,  or  Marcel  Dupre,  extemporize  will  have  been  fired  to 
emulation  of  their  facility  in  using  the  fugal  imitations,  often  going  far  towards  the 
improvisation  of  a  formal  fugue.  If  the  player  has  never  studied  counterpoint  and 
fugue  it  is  hopeless  for  him,  until  he  docs  study,  to  attempt  even  the  faintest  fugato. 

But  let  us  assume  that  he  has  written  fugues  of  doubtful  value  and  is  very 
much  in  earnest  in  his  wish  to  extemporize  fugatos;  what  course  shall  he  pursue? 
Why,  the  usual  course  of  having  a  plan,  and  practicing.  The  plan  will  include  three 
or  possibly  four  successive  entries  of  the  theme,  beginning  with  the  lowest  part  and 
rising  in  order  to  the  highest  (for  this  is  the  most  effective  order) ;  these  to  be  followed 
by  perhaps  two  more  entries,  one  in  the  Pedal,  ff,  and  one  in  the  highest  part;  a  free 
coda  will  finish  the  fugato.  Not  a  very  ambitious  plan,  to  be  sure,  but  a  practical 
one.  For  the  practicing,  both  writing  and  playing  are  recommended.  (See  pars.  3 
and  22.)  The  writing,  however,  is  to  be  entirely  independent  of  the  keyboard  work; 
writing  is  merely  a  mode  of  technical  discipline.  The  fugatos  written  are  never  to 
be  played  as  extemporizations. 

Technique  through  Writing 

(1)  The  writing  must  be  carried  through  as  nearly  as  possible  under  extempo- 
rizing conditions;  (2)  subjects  may  be  taken  from  "500  Fugue  Subjects  and  Their 
Answers"  (Novello,  or  H.  W.  Gray  &  Co.,  New  York);  (3)  write  three-part  fugatos 
first,  beginning  with  the  subject  in  the  lowest  part.  (4)  Take  only  those  subjects 
that  admit  of  "real"  answers.  In  public  improvising  it  is  well  to  remember  (a)  that 
Prout  says  that  a  real  answer  is  possible  to  any  subject,  and  that  (b)  if  the  subject  is 
too  much  modified  by  a  tonal  answer  the  audience  fails  to  recognize  it,  and  loses 
interest.  There  is  always  an  element  of  the  spectacular  in  extemporizing  that  must 
be  taken  into  account.  Guilmant  always  asked  to  be  given  a.  familiar  theme,  and  in 
extemporizing  on  the  Bridal  Chorus  {Lohengrin)  he  gave  the  real,  that  is,  the  un- 
modified, answer.  (5)  Writing  must  also  be  absolutely  without  erasures  to  be 
preparatory  to  extemporization;  (6)  Further,  it  must  be  at  a  fairly  regular  speed. 
It  is  nonsense  to  expect  writing  to  be  done  in  tempo,  but  it  can  be  done  with  a  fair 
amount  of  steadiness;  the  quick  decisions  that  must  be  made  in  effective  extemporizing 
may  be  practiced  just  as  efTectively  in  writing,  provided  no  erasures  are  allowed. 
It  i^  indispensable,  after  wrilini;,  that  tin-  fugato  shall  be  played  and  the  liiue  taken 
in  writing  noted.  X'arious  jjlans  for  the  free  cdda  ina>-  be  made.  Keyboard  work 
will  be  as  before — much  of  it,  and  steady  tempo. 

Inijirovising  the  fugato  is  by  no  means  beyond  the  i)ersevering  i)layer  who  has 
some  natural  contrapuntal  taste  and  facility.  It  is,  possibly,  the  most  brilliant  form 
that  extemporization  can  take. 

Other  Forms 

The  organist  who  has  gone  as  far  as  this  i)age,  and  has  worked  out  with  some 
success  the  various  schemes  recoimiK  nded,  has  no  need  of  suggestions  as  to  comljina- 
tions  or  extensions  of  the  forms  already  practiced:  he  can  go  along  as  far  as  he  likt-s, 


The  Finrijto  ijiid   Other  Forms  23 

putting  into  practice  the  schemes  that  his  own  ingenuity  will  suggest.  He  ought  by 
all  means  to  hear  all  the  j^lajers  in  his  vicinity  who  have  even  the  least  skill  in  the 
art.  There  is  no  reason  wh>'  a  professional  friend  should  not  join  with  him  in  mutual 
practice  ami  criticism.  Men  do  not  seem  to  do  this  sort  of  thing  as  often  or  as  help- 
fully as  women,  but  the  suggestion  may  be  worth  considering. 

Bibliography 

Books  in  Knglish  treating  on  the  subject  of  extemporization  are  few;  the 
present  writer  knows  of  two  only,  "Extemporization,"  by  F.  J.  Sawyer,  published  by 
Novello  (H.  W.  Gray  &  Co.,  New  York),  and  "Extempore  Playing:  Forty  Lessons  in 
the  Art  of  Keyboard  Composing,"  by  Dr.  A.  Madeley  Richardson  (New  York,  1922). 


2TO()49 


1 


Aids  for  Choirmasters   and   Organists 


FROM  THE  PUBLICATIONS  OF 


3  East  43d 


St    G.  SCHIRMER,  INC.  Newv 


orj 


Musical  Ministries  in  the  Church 

Studies  in  the  history',  theory  and  administration 

of  sacred  music 

BY  WALDO  SELDEN  PRATT 

Third  edition  enlarged 

In  six  chapters,  "Rt;ligion  and  the  Art  of  Music," 
"Hymns  and  Hymn-Singing,"  "The  Choir,"  "The 
Organ  and  the  Organist,"  "The  Minister's  Re- 
sponsibility" and  "The  History  of  Hymnody." 

The  History  of  Music 

A  handbook  and  guide  for  students 
BY  WALDO  SELDEN  PRATT 

A  comprehensive  survey  of  the  whole  range  of 
facts  and  tendencies  that  constitute  the  material 
of  the  history  of  music. 

Johann  Sebastian  Bach 

The  organist  and  his  works  for  the  organ 

BY  A.  PIRRO 

With  a  preface  by  Ch.  U.  Widor 

Translated  from  the  French  by 

Wallace  Goodrich 

The  author  describes  the  organ  works  of  Bach 
ajid  traces  the  development  of  his  style  from  his 
first  attempts  down  to  his  final  work. 


A  Biographical  Dictionary  of  Musicians 

BY  TH.  BAKER,  Ph.D. 
Third  Edition 

It  covers  its  subject — the  life  and  works  of  every 
musician  (composer  and  performer),  every  writer 
and  theorist  on  musical  subjects,  and  every  man  or 
woman  who  has  played  a  part  or  exercised  an  in- 
fluence on  the  art  of  music — more  thoroughly  than 
has  ever  before  been  attempted  in  the  same  com- 
pact form. 

Illustrations  in  Choir  Accompaniment 

With  Hints  In  Rcfiistration 
BY  DUDLEY  BUCK 

A  h.inrlbook  (provided  with  ni.irgiml  notes  lor 
reference)  for  the  use  of  organ  sluflents,  organists, 
and  those  intorcslcd  in  ( Inirrh-mMsic. 


The  Choirtrainer's  Art 

BY  DR.  A.  MADELEY  RICHARDSON 

Part  I  takes  up  the  management  of  the  choir 
members,  the  practice  room,  practices  and  re- 
hearsals. Part  II  treats  of  methods  of  voice  pro- 
duction. Part  III  treats  of  the  value  of  words, 
words  and  music,  fi.xed  plain-song  (monotones, 
versicles,  responses,  litany),  psalm  chanting,  Mer- 
becke's  communion  service,  accuracy  and  expres- 
sion, hymns  and  anthems  and  services. 


The  Organist's  and  Choirmaster's 

Register  and  Service  Record 

BY  J.  H.  STRICKLAND  KING 

A  conveniently  and  attractively  arranged  blank 
book  for  keeping  in  clear  and  concise  form  records 
of  attendance,  salary  and  efficiency  of  choir  mem- 
bers; together  with  a  record  of  the  music  performed 
at  each  service  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  An  in- 
valuable aid  to  the  systernatic  choirmaster. 


Hints  for  Boy  Choristers 

BY  RONALD  M.  GRANT 

A  pocket-sized  pamphlet  setting  forth  in  col- 
loquial and  easy  style  the  most  important  points  of 
boy-choir  training.  It  is  written  primarily  from 
the  boy's  point  of  view.  It  also  includes  brief  de- 
partments dealing  with  vocal  exercises  and  the 
aid  to  the  boy  chorister,  or  to  the  choirmaster. 


The  Choirmaster's  Manual 

BY  HAROLD  NEWTON  CLARE 

A  guide  for  busy  and  amateur  choirmasters, 
especially  for  the  development  of  the  boy's  voice  antl 
for  the  training  ancl  discipline  of  boy-choirs. 

Extempore  Playing 

BY  A.  MADELEY  RICHARDSON 

The  art  of  keyboard  composing,  otherwise  called 
improvising  or  extempore  playing,  is  an  essential 
part  of  the  equipment  of  every  organist;  it  is  a 
soiMTc  of  delight  and  interest  to  every  pianist;  and 
it  is  a  suhjiit  that  should  be  studiccl  by  every  in- 
telligent music  teacher. 


IF  UNABI.F  TO  OBTAIN  AT  LOCAL  DKALERS  ADDRESS  THE  PUBLISHERS 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CAL.X/RNIA 

AT 

LOS  ANGELES 

TTRRAWY 


Music 
Library 


University  of  California 

SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

405  Hilgard  Avenue,  Los  Angeles,  CA  90024-1388 

Return  this  material  to  the  library 

from  which  it  was  borrowed. 


JAH   1  i 


QL. 


!     J      U 


uOAN 


UCLA  -  Music  Library 

MT182M14f 


i#iiniiillillllll  mill  Ihlllllljlli. 
L  006  991   685  6 


MUSIC 

MT 
182 

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